A friend in Need
by poeticpriscilla84
Summary: When Morgan's high school sweetheart stands her up for dinner she is left to pick up the pieces wondering what happened. Later she is called to the scene of a dead bride where she finds her high school sweetheart cheated on her. She is devastated. Greg and her process the scene and Greg offers a source of comfort to her. Will this become more?


08/15/2015

Morgan sat at Hugo's Cellar, one of the most romantic restaurants in Las Vegas. The scene was everything a perfect date should be. The candles were dimly lit in their elegant silver candle holders with lacy gold trim on them. For the balcony guests the violinists were softly and romantically playing Canon in D, performing in black tuxedos with their hair slicked back. The restaurant had big bay windows that showed Vegas in all its glory lit up at night and the stars shining bright above. There were vases of red roses at each table along with champagne in a bucket on ice and fancy baguette bread with softened butter on a silver antique plated dish. The table had a gorgeous lace and chiffon table cloth a top it and the chairs were elegant Queen anne wooden chairs with comfortable creme colored velvety cushions on them. There was a wooden dance floor with a crystal ball above it and crystal chandeliers hung at every other table, as if sweeping down on the guests from where they were hanging above. As she waited in her canary yellow satin Oscar De La Renta gown with its long train and Swarovski crystals on the top of the dress and bottom in front, she felt the romantic opulence of Hugo's Cellar was mocking her, throwing up the fact that the couples in its restaurant were enjoying a nice romantic dinner, and that she was all alone. Yet despite the discomfort and dismalness she felt at being alone in such a nice place, she waited. She had been waiting for the last hour. She was waiting for her old college flame Bailey Davenport, Gil Grissom and Catherine Willow's godson. Bailey had recently gotten hired as the new senior developer of the Tangier's hotel and Casino. Recently she had run into him at the local whole foods market. He had asked her out on a date to dinner and she had accepted. He said he had officially broken up with his old high school sweetheart, Jessica Parker. Jessica was a show dancer here in Las Vegas. He swore he was through with her though. Yet why was he late? Perhaps with work maybe. Maybe or perhaps Jessica had asked to "see" him, which meant they might be getting back together, no? All of a sudden a horrible feeling gripped Morgan's heart, drawing her nearly to the point of tears. It wasn't long ago when Greg had asked her out for a beer and she had declined, telling him she was kind of seeing someone at the moment. She remembered the crushed look on his face and the heartbreak in his eyes. Now she was experiencing the same thing. At this point she wasn't sure what she was more upset about. Bailey standing her up or her breaking Greg's heart and declining his request. Morgan looked at the clock on her smart phone for the umpteenth time, that weird feeling in her heart returning. However Bailey did have a good reason, didn't he?

Laughter and chit chat flooded the Paris Hotel and Casino as everyone stood at the receiving line congratulating social high society Debutante Tessa Ryland on her nuptials with Jaque DuBois. Tessa and Jaque had gotten married tonight at the Paris hotel outside on the balcony at the Eiffal Tower. As they stood there and said their vows and held hands Bailey imagined his future wife and him standing there in Jaque and Tessa's place. He'd take her hand and tell her how much he cared about her. Perhaps they would even make their own vows. It would be beautiful and sweet and wonderful! She'd wear a white ballgown with a tiara in her hair and he'd wear a snazzy black tux. They would look into each other's eyes with that same adoring affection and say I do. The diamond would be three diamond. The extra ceremony a rose ceremony and Unity candle ceremony rolled into one. And then the kiss, an electric magical spark that neither one would forget, where her foot popped up behind her like in all the old movies. As he watched Jaque and Tessa kiss both were so happy and so much in love. Jessica Parker took his hand as together they watched the fireworks go off around the paris hotel. Jessica had wanted him to go to this wedding as a date to rekindle the spark between them that they had together. Bailey's thoughts went back to him and Jessica's conversation on the phone.

Bailey's mission impossible ringtone sounded. He answered his phone shortly thereafter to find Jessica's voice on the other end of the line.

"Bailey," she had said, in a soft sweet voice.

"Jess look I don't wanna talk to you. I have nothing else to say," Bailey told her angrily. "You're the one one who wanted to take that teaching job for Abby Lee Miller in Los Angeles for the new ALDC. You were so selfish. You didn't even consider how it would effect my career but what was worse is that even if you had, you wouldn't have had the common courtesy to care! I'm done!"

"Bailey please don't go!" Jessica pleaded.

"Goodbye Jess!" Bailey said, his voice not only clearly bitter but final.

"No Bailey wait! Bailey I just wanted to say that I didn't take the job in Los Angeles. I took the show girl job so I could be with you! So that we could work things out! Look it's my fault and I'm sorry! Please forgive me! Please!" Jessica had pleaded, tear in her voice, and sadness and desperation in her heart.

Bailey stopped and paused a few minutes. The phone remained silent and all that could be heard was Bailey and Jessica's breath on the phone. Jessica's sounded anxious and desperate. Bailey's hesitant and unsure. However Jessica sounded anxious to talk. Perhaps maybe, maybe he should at least hear her out and see what she had to say. Both waited silently on the phone for what seemed like an eternity waiting for the other to make the next move. Finally Jessica spoke.

"I'll make it up to you. My friend tessa Ryland is getting married and I have a date spot open for the wedding. Wanna come? You and I can talk and kiss and remind ourselves of what made our love great in the first place."

Bailey hesitated again. He had the distinct feeling he had something going on that night but couldn't remember what but he knew that if he told Jessica no he may never see her again and this may be the only opportunity at them ever getting back together. After a few brief moments he agreed.

"Okay you got it. Where is it?" Bailey asked.

"The Paris hotel at six o clock sharp for the ceremony. Reception is from 8 till midnight."

Bailey made a promise to see her then.

Bailey was snapped back to reality as he approached Tessa Ryland in the receiving line.

"Congratulations" he said as he smiled and shook hands with both the bride and the groom.

Jaque and Tessa smiled acknowledged their thanks and then Bailey and Jessica went into the cocktail room to enjoy drinks and appetizers. As Jessica him enjoyed light conversation and cocktails he couldn't help but feel he was forgetting something, somewhere, or someone that he was supposed to be with.

"I can't help but feel I am forgetting somewhere else I was supposed to be tonight," Bailey said.

"Don't worry, if you forgot it it couldn't have been that important,"Jessica replied.

"You're right. Lets toast. To us and our relationship officially being back together," Bailey said.

"To us," Jessica replied as their glasses clanked and they drank their expensive chardonnay. Then they shared a kiss, and their worlds felt as though they were colliding into one. Jessica's foot popped up and he knew beyond a reasonable doubt she was the one he was supposed to be with.

Morgan looked at her smart phone again as tears filled her eyes. She had been waiting three hours! Finally it occurred to her, Bailey wasn't coming. Morgan got up quickly from her seat and paid the bill for the shrimp scampy she had ordered. She rushed out of the restaurant and went to the parking structure where she let out what sounded like a wounded cry and scream rolled into one! Bailey had stood her up and he hadn't even had the common courtesy to call and cancel! He hadn't even cared! She cried and cried and cried, allowing her makeup to run down her face and create dark streaks. She went to her car in her yellow oscar de la renta evening gown and put the key in the ignition, starting the car and letting it run while she cried some more, hoping it would drown out her tears. She buried her face in her hands. She couldn't believe Bailey! She just couldn't believe it! How could he do this to her? How? She continued to cry and cry until the tears stopped enough to where she could wipe the make up from her eyes. She drove around Las Vegas aimlessly, numb, not knowing what else to do.

A cork popped and champagne was poured into glasses. Jessica and Bailey, along with about a thousand other guests dinged their glasses, willing Jaque and Tessa to kiss just one more time. As the couple kissed in response to the dinging champagne glasses Bailey and Jessica shared a kiss also. While everyone cheered at the kissing couple and clapped Bailey and Jessica remained in their own little world. Jessica in her red bridesmaid dress, a replica of the one the bridesmaid in November rain wore, looked hotter than ever, the dress was bright red, short above the knee in front and long in the back with spaghetti straps, and plain with no appliques on it, Jessica's raven black hair swept up in a french roll. Tessa was also wearing the guns and roses video bridal gown,which was made of satin, had puffy sleeves and was short in front with the front of the dress 3 quarters above the knee and a long train in the back. the whole thing was guns and roses themed with red roses and sparkle decorations that looked like rain, resembling the November rain music video. Even the wedding cake was an exact replica of the cake in the guns and roses video with its five layers and elegant white frosting decorated with elegant ribbon design and rose design stood tall like a beautiful seven wonder of the world.. It was a romantic night and Bailey didn't want it to end.

"I'd like to propose a toast," Tessa's father Lord Victor Ryland announced, "to my beautiful daughter who is the prettiest Bride since her great grandmother Samantha Parkington Ryland and her elegant refined and socially well established groom, Jaque. I wish you both the utmost happiness in your marriage and life. I love you both and may your marriage prosper and grow and may you live a wonderful, happy, and blessed life together. And tessa always remember, you may be his wife but you're my baby girl for life. Congratulations sweet heart!"

Everyone clapped politely and then dinner was served. The evening afterward flew by. Dinner, dancing, chatting, it all passed by in a fantastic romantic blur! Until finally it came to the cutting of the cake. Jaque and Tessa stood poised at the grand five layer wedding cake and smiled for the cameras while holding the server together as if to cut it. More pictures flashed as Tessa and Jaque cut the cake. Tessa made a funny face as she licked the cake server and everyone laughed. Then Tessa and Jaque fed each other the piece of cake and licked each others fingers and kissed some more while everyone clapped and cameras continued to flash. Afterwards the bride and groom and their guests went outside to the patio area of the Paris Hotel to enjoy desert outside and a dance contest between guests with prizes and everything. As people ate their cake and danced the night away on the outdoor patio no one noticed the clouds gathering above and blacking out the stars and the full moon that shined in the sky. No one cared. Jessica and Bailey danced underneath the blackened sky and a amongst the guests wrapped tightly in each other's arms kissing affectionately in a long warm kiss, not wanting to let each other go, and just enjoying the moment. At some point dancing, Jessica and Bailey could feel a few drops on them but thought nothing of it. They continued to dance and kiss in bliss. Bailey caressed Jessica and loved the sweet pea bath and body fragrance on her and the soft baby's skin she possessed. Everything about her was just magical, wonderful, and amazing. He just couldn't imagine living his life without her. This moment, this place, this wedding made him forget why they broke up in the first place and all was right with the world. All of a sudden the drops started to get bigger and bigger and before the guests at the wedding knew it the wedding got rained out in a torrential downpour. People started screaming and running for cover. Some tried to hide under the over hang. Others covered their heads. Still others ran quickly trying to get to their cars before something tragic happened. UP above Bailey and Jessica saw lightening flash several times followed by claps of thunder and quickly found themselves running back into the hotel for cover. Once inside, Bailey scooped Jessica up in his arms and carried her up the stairs to continue their romantic evening at the Hotel's deluxe suite. Once in the deluxe suite both enjoyed champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and a little special bonus sex. A few hours later between bonus sex orgasms and humping Bailey and Jessica heard a gunshot come from the floor above them but sounded too indistinct to be sure so they continued the pleasure. A little while later Jessica turned the light on so Bailey could go to the bathroom.

"Oh my gosh Bailey you have blood on your face!" Jessica exclaimed. "You're bleeding!"

Bailey brushed the blood from his face and looked down at his fingers to see that Jessica was right.

"Well it's not from me," Bailey replied.

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked.

"Well yea I mean do you see any cuts?" Bailey asked.

"No," Jessica replied. "Well if it's not from you who is it from?"

Both Bailey and Jessica looked up at the ceiling to see blood drops dripping down from the ceiling to the bed and both screamed.

Morgan continued to drive around Las Vegas aimlessly for quite sometime more. Wasn't really sure how long but finally decided to head for home. As she reached her home and was just about to go in and drown her sorrows in Ben and Jerrie's chocolate brownie ice cream her phone rang.

"Hello," Morgan replied.

"Hey Morgan it's Russell," DB responded. "I know it's your night off but we have a possible homicide over at the Paris Hotel. I need you there."

"Front and center," Morgan said, "besides my plans were very much ruined anyway."

"Awww! Sorry to hear, anyway see you there," DB said.

When Morgan got to the scene she noticed DB and Greg already there along with Detective Jim Brass.

"Who's our victim?" Morgan asked.

"Social debutante Tessa Ryland," Detective Brass replied. "She got married tonight to Jaque DeBois, Paris's most eligible bachelor. High society wedding. About a thousand guests there and none of them saw anything. Funny how that works."

"Who discovered the body?" DB asked.

"Jessica Parker and her date, Bailey, who happens to be Grissom's godson," Detective Brass replied. "they're standing right over there. They were enjoying a romantic rondevous when they noticed it raining light blood drops on them from the floor above." Detective Brass nodded in Bailey and Jessica's direction and Morgan followed their gaze. She couldn't believe it! A half naked Bailey was there with Jessica Parker the girl he swore he was "through" with who was in very suggestive black and pink lingerie. So incredible! Yet typical Bailey Morgan thought. Once a player, always a player! Bailey and Morgan's gaze happened to meet at that moment. Bailey's in shock that she was there and Morgan's angry and hurt.

"Bailey!" Morgan exclaimed after a few moments of silence.

Bailey quickly darted out of view. Morgan wanted run after him but her feet stayed planted, knowing she had to stay and process the scene. Instead she grunted in frustration and started processing the scene with Greg.

"What was that about?" Greg asked. "You know him or something?"

"Yea, just from high school nothing more. And that, it's nothing, lets just get our evidence gathered and get back to the lab huh?" Morgan snapped.

"Wow, okay fine. However if you wanna talk about it I'm here okay," Greg replied sweetly.

"No, I'm fine," Morgan reassured him.

"Okay, Greg said as together they started to gather evidence.

"Found the gun over here close to the body," Morgan replied. "Looks like a revolver. Recently been fired." Morgan bagged the gun.

"I found a note in the blood pool here," Greg replied as he bagged it. "Judging by the looks of it, it looks like a suicide note. Hard to say though."

Morgan and Greg photographed the body and the scene. Then Dave the medical examiner looked at Tessa's body. "Looks like a single gun shot wound to the face, specifically through the mouth. Might be looking at a possible suicide here," Dave replied. "Then again the scratches on her arm indicate someone attacked her. Hard to say until I get her back to autopsy."

"Found white powdery stuff on the table here, looks like Tessa or someone she was with had a habit," Greg said as he collected it. "Looks like cocaine."

"there are no track marks on Tessas body and no powder in her nose so my guess is it's not from her," Morgan replied.

"Nothing looks turned over and there's no struggle in the room," Greg said. "Nothing looks disturbed."

"Greg, wait, there's a hair on Tessa's dress and it doesn't look like hers. The hair is blonde," Morgan said, as she collected it.

"Jealous bridesmaid maybe," Greg suggested.

"Maybe, won't know until we get it back from the lab."

Morgan and Greg noted the chocolate covered strawberries, untouched champagne, and candlelit table set for two. They collected the contents on the table to make sure nothing was poisoned to make it look like a shooting and any other contents from the room that might be of significance. Morgan and greg both dusted the hotel room for prints to see who was in the room and ran a test on the white powder to see what substance it was.

"Just as I thought," Greg said, positive for cocaine."

Back at the lab, Doc Robbins autopsied Tessa Ryland's body. He took prints, took blood to send to tox, scraped under the fingernails, sexual assault exam, photographed the body, and examined her carefully as well as testing Tessa's hands for GSR.

"So what's the cause of death?" Morgan asked.

"Cause of death was fatal gunshot wound caused by one shot through the mouth consistent with suicide. I found gunshot residue on Tessa's hands I'll let you take a look to see if the GSR components match the revolver you found at the scene."

"And what about the scratches on her arm?" Morgan asked.

"Swabbed them and sent them to Henry for DNA," Doc Robbins replied. "also semen in her indicates recent sexual activity, also sent that to Henry for DNA as well as scrapings from under her fingernails. No results from tox yet to see if there was anything in her system."

"Thanks," Morgan said.

"Hey I heard you knew Bailey," Doc Robbins said.

"Yea I was supposed to have dinner with him tonight but clearly he decided it was better to get back with his old girlfriend then to spend time with me," Morgan replied bitterly.

"I'm sorry. Do you wanna talk about it? Are you okay?" Robbins asked.

"No don't really wanna talk about it and yeah I'll be fine," Morgan replied.

"Are you sure?" Doc Robbins asked concerned.

"Yeah, I, I'm sure," Morgan replied, slight tear in her voice.

"Morgan, you don't have to be so brave when it comes to being hurt by someone who is supposed to care about you. What Bailey did to you wasn't right. I know he's Grissom and Catherine's godson but still that doesn't give him a pass."

"I know, and I'm okay, I promise," Morgan said as she went back to the lab. However as Doc Robbins watched her leave he could tell Morgan was far from okay.

Morgan was halfway back to the lab to get tox and DNA results from Henry when she felt tears sting her eyes and run down her cheeks. Before she knew it the tears were streaming down her face hot and heavy once again as they had at the crime scene. She sunk in the hallway down to her butt, her back sliding on the wall until she was sitting instead of standing. She cried. She didn't know what else to do. Her heart felt like a knife went through it. The pain was searing. She breathed deeply. However nothing could stop the pain she felt inside. As she cried, she didn't notice Greg coming out of the lab.

"Morgan," Greg said concerned.

Morgan continued to cry hard and heavy not noticing Greg there.

"Morgan! Morgan! Morgan, are you okay? Morgan?" Greg kept saying, over and over again.

"MORGAN!" Greg finally shouted, nudging her, which caused her to look up.

"Morgan! What is going on?" Greg asked, his voice worried and his eyes full of concern.

"Nothing!" Morgan sobbed.

"It doesn't look like nothing. You're really crying. You've been acting weird and upset ever since you saw Bailey at the crime scene," Greg said.

"I TOLD YOU IT'S NOTHING!" Morgan continued to sob angrily, pushing Greg away.

"Well there must be something upsetting you. It's just as your friend, I'm worried about you. I don't wanna leave without knowing that you're okay because I don't think we can continue on this case until you tell me what's wrong and get it off your chest," greg said, putting a comforting arm around Morgan.

Morgan continued to resist telling Greg what was happening and instead just cried and cried, for several more minutes while Greg held her close and put his comforting arm around her. Finally Morgan could feel herself giving into Greg's affection and the two of them embraced in a hug while she cried for several more minutes.

"He betrayed me," Morgan finally confessed sobbingly to Greg.

"Who? Bailey?" Greg asked.

"yea," Morgan wimpered as she continued to hold Greg tightly.

"What did he do?" greg asked.

"He asked me out to dinner, and, and, I said, said, yes and then he, and then he, he stood me up and decided to be with his ex girlfriend and get back together with her," Morgan sobbed. "I, I feel like such an idiot for falling for him!"

Morgan continued to sob and sob as she held onto Greg for dear life, crying into his shoulder as he held her tenderly to him.

"I really liked him, but do you think I'm an idiot for getting involved with him?" Morgan cried.

"No, I think he's an idiot for not treating you right, now come on, let's get back to the evidence, when you're ready," Greg said affectionately, as he continued to hold Morgan close. "And don't get worked up over someone like that. They're the one who lost out. How a woman feels should matter to the guy she's seeing."

"Yea," was all Morgan managed to say in response as she cried and cried.

For several more minutes Morgan continued to cry with wild abandonment while Greg held her close, rubbing her back and holding her in a gentle embrace.

"Shsh! It's okay, it's okay," Greg said soothingly as he continued to rub her back several more minutes. Finally Morgan composed herself as Greg gave her hand a final squeeze and together they went into the lab to find out the DNA and tox results from Henry.

"Hey Henry what's the story with tox and DNA?" Morgan asked.

"Other than alcohol from the wedding in her system Tessa's tox was clean, which confirms what Greg said about Tessa not being the cocaine user. Also the DNA from the hair you found on the wedding gown came back female as did the scratches on Tessa's arm, however no hits in CODIS. The male DNA on the semen got a hit in CODIS. Take a look."

"That's Jaque DuBois, Tessa's groom and new husband. He was arrested back in New York on drug charges for cocaine possession," Morgan replied.

"Guess we know who the user was."

"yea," Greg said, "it still doesn't prove that Jaque killed Tessa or our unknown female. We need to go back to the lab and process the gun, the stuff we collected from the hotel to confirm non detectable poison, and the note."

Greg and Morgan dusted the gun for prints and collected them and ran them through AFIS. Through second observance of the gun, Morgan noticed skin where the trigger was and collected it. She sent it to DNA.

"Doc Robbins never mentioned cuts on Tessa's hand, someone handled this gun other than Tessa, which means we could still be looking at murder instead of suicide" Morgan replied. "We need to find out who that someone is."

Greg and Morgan tested every product that was collected however, none revealed any poisoning that couldn't be detected by tox.

"Well that confirms Henry's clean tox result," Morgan replied defeated.

"Don't get discouraged, lets look at the note and see what we can find," Greg said kindly.

Greg and Morgan were just about to process the note found at the scene when Morgan saw Jessica Parker, Bailey's girlfriend show up at the lab. Greg saw Jessica too.

"Do you want me to get this?" greg asked.

"No I've got it," Morgan said.

"Are you sure? I think that note could really use a forgery expert and you used to do that in LA," greg said, a smile on his face.

"Oh alright I'll look at the note and you can talk to Jessica," Morgan replied, smiling back, "Oh and Greg thanks."

"You're welcome," Greg said smiling at her as he walked out of the lab.

"May I help you?" Greg asked as he approached Jessica.

"Yea I'm looking for Detective Jim Brass," Jessica replied matter of factly. "He said to call if I had any information on who would want to kill Tessa and I just remembered something that I think might help the case."

"Okay," Greg said. "I'll let Detective Brass know."

After informing Detective Brass about what Jessica had said he went back to the lab to check on the status of the prints and DNA results and to see what Morgan was coming up with, with the note by Tessa's body.

"Alright Jessica, you said you had information that would help the case," Detective Brass replied, "Lets hear it."

"The day before the wedding I heard Tessa and Alyssa Calvert, Rose DeWitt Buchater's great grand daughter, going at it hot and heavy. Alyssa was Tessa's maid of honor and she was trying on the dress. Tessa got upset and asked her to take it off."

"Alyssa take off that dress right now!" Tessa demanded.

"No way! It looks good on me a lot better than it looks on you!" Alyssa replied smugly.

"Alyssa I am not kidding! Take it off!"

"Why?"

"Because it doesn't belong to you and neither does Jaques!"

"Oh please! Give it up Tess! Jaques loved me before he loved you and he will always love me first!"

"That's crap and you know it! Jaques much better off with me! You're a bad influence on him you always have been! You're a junkie! Now stop it and take it off!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Tessa grabbed Alyssa's arm and the two scuffled, ending with Alyssa scratching Tessa to get away from her.

"What happened after Alyssa scratched her?" Detective Brass asked.

"Alyssa left in a huff for the bathroom with the dress on. I had to go so I waited for Alyssa to come out. She came out with the dress off in her regular clothes, and was dragging Tessa's dress, then I went to the bathroom and left. That's the last time I ever saw Alyssa in Tessa's room besides right before the wedding in the bridal suite."

"Do you think Alyssa would be mad enough over Jaques to kill him?" Brass

asked.

"A week ago I would have said no but after that scuffle, I think she's capable of anything," Jessica replied. "She was pretty peeved."

"Thank you Jessica. If you hear anything else, let me know, alright?"

"Okay."

Detective Brass ran into DB shortly after questioning Jessica.

"What are you thinking Jim?" DB asked.

"I'm thinking it's time to take Alyssa Calvert in for a little chit chat."

Detective Brass and Nick Stokes cruised around for Alyssa Calvert. She wasn't hard to find, as she was just packing up her things at the Paris Hotel to leave for the plane ride back home to Philadelphia.

"Alyssa Calvert, Las Vegas Police we need to talk to you," Detective Brass replied.

"What about?" Alyssa asked all too casually.

"The death of Tessa Ryland," Nick replied.

"I had nothing to do with that," Alyssa replied in a nonchalant attitude.

"How did you get those scratches on your arm?" Detective Brass asked. "Did that happen, when Tessa scratched you during your little scuffle, in which a witness puts you in tessa's room as arguing heatedly with her?"

"Okay look, fine, I got into it with Tessa because I wanted to try on the dress and dream and just think of what could have been. It was innocent. Honestly! I meant nothing of it."  
"Then why the fight?" Detective Brass asked.

"Look I got a little jealous about Jaques proposing to Tessa over me. I mean he's the most eligible bachelor on the east coast in high society. I just wished he had given a little of that love to me that's all."

Meanwhile back at the lab Morgan and Greg processed Tessa's wedding dress together. Greg swabbed the dress for DNA and other trace. He noticed a white powdery substance within the lining of the dress.

"Morgan, look the same white powder that was at the scene is in the lining of Tessa Ryland's dress. "

"Test it," Morgan said.

Greg did and the test on the powder revealed it was positive for cocaine.

"Call Brass," Morgan said, "it looks like Alyssa trying on the dress was more than just petty jealousy."

Just as Nick and Detective Brass were getting ready to leave Detective Brass's phone rang.

"Brass," Detective Brass replied.

"Jim, there was traces of white powder in the lining of Tessa Ryland's dress and it tested positive for cocaine. Just like the powdery substance we found at the scene. Which means there might be more to Alyssa trying on the dress than meets the eye."

"I'll look into it," Brass replied. "Looks like we need to question Tessa more," Detective brass said, addressing Nick.

"Why's that?" Nick replied.

"Morgan and greg found white powdery substance in the lining of Tessa Ryland's dress and it tested positive for cocaine. Now Jessica said Alyssa was a junkie, that was one of the reasons why Tessa felt that she was better off with Jaques than Alyssa."

"Do you think Alyssa knew the cocaine was in the dress?" Nick asked.

"It crossed my mind," Detective Brass replied.

"Ms. Calvert, do you still have a habit?" Nick replied.

"Of course not!" Alyssa replied, offended.

"You sure about that?"

"Of course! Why?" Alyssa exclaimed.

"Because we found traces of cocaine in Tessa Ryland's wedding dress," Nick replied.

"What does that mean?" Alyssa asked.

"It means you're coming with us," Detective Brass answered.

Back at the precinct Detective Brass sat across from Alyssa and Alyssa stared at him, shifting uncomfortably from side to side.

"Did you know that the cocaine was in the dress?"

"Of course not!" Alyssa said uneasily.

"Are you sure?"

There were several moments of uncomfortable silence.

"You know what I think happened?" Brass said, breaking the silence, "I think Tessa found out about your habit, discovered the cocaine in the dress, and you two scuffled about the drugs. Then you got angry later, fearing she was gonna report you to the police, so you shot her close range."

"NO! That's not what happened!" Alyssa replied, defensively.

"Then you explain to me what happened and how cocaine ended up in the lining of Tessa Ryland's dress."

"Because okay yes, I do have a habit! Okay! I've been trying to quit for years! I promised at my great grandmother's grave a few years ago that I would quit. I, I just can't seem to kick the habit though. And Jaques, Jaque is my dealer. He sold me the coke. I came up with the idea to hide it in the lining of the dress and was coming in to get it. Then Tessa showed up and we got into that fight. I went into the bathroom so she wouldn't figure out that I had the cocaine. When I came out I was higher than a kite and I don't remember what happened for hours after that, until just before the next day when I showed up at the bridal suite. Look I'm a junkie, a drug dealer, a disappointment to Philadelphia society and my late great grandmother, but I'm not a murderer. I swear!" Alyssa cried. "I didn't kill Tessa! And I'm sorry I lied about the habit. I just didn't want to face my problems. That's all. " Alyssa sobbed and sobbed. Detective Brass waited several minutes until she was finished.

"That's quite a performance, Miss Calvert. Unfortunately it's not enough to clear you. I'm gonna need a DNA sample, I'm also going to need to know your whereabouts at the time of Tessa Ryland's death, and I am going to need your fingerprints."

"Okay sure fine, whatever," Alyssa said. "My mother Elizabeth Calvert lives in Las Vegas, she's the CEO of the Tangier's hotel and Casino's personal assistant. I was visiting her after the wedding last night, over coffee at the Tangiers."

"Alright, I'll have security footage and a statement from your mother to confirm that."

"Detective, if you want to look at anybody for the murder of Tessa Ryland, you might want to look at Jaque. He's not a great guy. He has a severe cocaine habit and a short temper. One time when somebody didn't pay him for their drugs he beat them almost to death within an inch of their life. Sometimes, when I go over to Jaque and Tessa's house in New York I hear them arguing and glass breaking. A couple of times I saw Tessa with a busted lip and a black eye. She said it was nothing but I know deep down Jaque abused her. She was growing increasingly unhappy in the relationship. Many say that she said yes to Jaque's marriage proposal out of fear and not love. If anybody was capable of killing Tess, it was Jaque."

"If he was so bad then why were you fighting over him?" Detective Brass asked.

"The fight was a cover. I wanted Tess only to think I was jealous so that she wouldn't know the real reason I was there and she only defended her love for Jaques out of denial. Trust me, she was miserable, even bordering on severe depression that only kept getting worse day by day. I know the feeling. He abused me too and got me started on a bad cocaine habit as well. Deep down, I didn't want him to do the same to Tessa. I just didn't know how to say it, so I said nothing. Out of fear for my own life I guess. You have no idea what Jaque is capable of."

Morgan and Greg went to Henry for the DNA and fingerprint results on the gun.

"The DNA from the skin on the gun was male and a match to Jaque's. The prints were also a match to Jaques. There was also another set of prints and those were a match to our vic, Tessa Ryland," Henry replied. "However there is no trace of Alyssa Calvert's DNA or prints anywhere on the gun and no trace of her prints or DNA in the hotel room. Any prints and DNA you guys got from the hotel room at the scene came back to Tessa and Jaque."

"And the call I just got from Nick confirms Tessa's alibi, Nick looked over the security footage at the Tangiers' at the time of the murder and Alyssa was with Elizabeth Calvert talking over coffee just like she said," Morgan replied.

"Which means our only other suspect was Jaques," Greg replied.

"Great I'll go have Brass pick him up," Morgan said.

"Hey Morgan, how did you do with the note, any luck," Greg replied.

"Well I looked over the writing, and noted that it was written like a typical suicide note," Morgan said. "Nothing unusual."

"What about the writing, did it looked forced or anything like that?" Greg asked.

"No, not really, I'll look it over again and see what I can find."

Detective Brass and Nick searched all of Jaque's personal hangouts based on information Alyssa had given him when she had given him her prints and DNA. They found Jaque playing Russian Roulette at the Tangiers Casino.

"Jaque DuBois, Las Vegas Police," Detective Brass said.

"BonJour Detectives. What's this about? Am I under arrest?" Jaque asked.

"Wee;" Detective brass said, as he cuffed him.

Back at the precinct, Jaque was severely questioned by Brass.

"You've got quite the temper. According to a witness you like to beat the crap out of women. Do you also like to kill them too? Because we have a witness that says you're very capable of murder, not to mention the fact that we found your prints and DNA on the murder weapon that killed Tessa Ryland," Detective Brass replied.

"I didn't kill Tessa! I loved Tessa!" Jaque said defensively.

"Oh right, nothing says I love you more than a busted lip and broken jaw," Detective Brass said sarcastically.

"Look sometimes I get steamed at Tessa and she can frustrate me, dishes not washed in the sink. My food not ready when I come home but I would never kill her."

"Sorry Frenchie, I'm not buying it and since you won't tell me what happened, I'm going to tell you what I think happened. I think you got pissed off because maybe Tessa was tired and didn't want to have sex with you. You kept forcing yourself on her and she said no and you got tired of her crap for the last time and so you got mad, reached for the gun, forced it in her mouth, and bang!"

"That's not what happened," Jaque said hanging his head.

"Then you tell me exactly what happened."

I was trying to save Tessa from herself."

"Right, right, and your prints and DNA just magically ended up on the gun," Brass said, more sarcastically than ever.

"No!"Jaques cried.

"Then what?" Detective Brass snapped.

"Tessa and I got into a fight," Jaque said sadly.

"Oh there's a surprise and then when the fight was over that's when you killed her," Detective Brass responded.

"No! Look we got in a fight and then she reached for the gun," Jaques said.

"To kill you," Brass said.

"No, to kill herself so she wouldn't have to be married to me anymore," Jaques replied. "Because she was sick of my cocaine habit and all the times I told her I'd get clean and I didn't."

"Unfortunately all the evidence points to you as the murderer which means you're under arrest for the murder of Tessa Ryland. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can or will be used against you in the court of law. You can ask for a lawyer and if you can't afford one, one will be appointed to you," Brass replied.

"I don't need a lawyer! I didn't kill Tessa! I didn't!" Jaque kept crying out as Detective Brass cuffed him and sent him into the holding cell. "I loved her! You have to believe me! Please! PLEASE!"


End file.
